PS 3527 
.062 116 
1922 
Copy 1 



MOTHER'S LIFE 
IN MINIATURE 



MOTHER'S LIFE 
IN MINIATURE 



A POEM 

BY 

Albert James Norton 




PUBLISHED BY 

Ye Cloister Print Shop 

CfflCAGO 






Copyrighted by 

Albert James Norton 

1922 



HOV 25 1^^^ 



C1A&91595 



Mother's Life in Miniature 



J^^\ HESE homely lines, though crude yet still sincere, 
^^^V To thee I dedicate, my Mother dear; 
To thee, whose days in peace are gliding by ; 
To thee, whose merited reward draws nigh. 

II 

Early upon thee came life's duties and 
Responsibilities, cares of the home 
Left to thee by a mother fond gone to 
Her rest. The schoolroom, too, thy presence knew, 
There the young mind to teach and train the heart 
To rule. Next followed at an early age 
Maternal joys and sorrows, busy round 
Of family life. 

Ill 

A well built house of logs, decent though small, 
Kept trim and tidy by thy hands, its walls 
Adorned with pictures cut from magazines 
And papers, one large room with alcoves two, 
For beds, and clothes-press set between — such was 
The early home, on rising ground and woods 
About, which sheltered deer and smaller game, 
The home o'er which thou didst preside. 

IV 

Soon smiling fields of grass, and wheat, and com 
Replaced the sturdy beach and oak and elm 
That fell beneath thy woodman's axe so keen. 
He shared with thee the hardships of those old, 
Stern days, he, who was kind but firm as rock 
In his integrity. 



The lean-to later built against the house 
More room did give and comfort add; and these . 
Were needed now, its occupants increased 
To four. Hard was the work, but prosperous 
Grew the young farmer and his wife as years 
Went by. 

VI 

How clear the picture of that little home 
Appears before me now, with thee, my good. 
Kind Mother, at thy work ; the floor clean mopped, 
The polished stove, the beds filled high with corn 
Husks or with straw, and all o'erspread with sheets 
Snow-white and quilts in many colored squares 
And other patterns and designs, all neat. 
And valanced round with drapery nice; the chairs 
In order ranged and ornaments hand-made, 
Placed here and there, while thou pursuedst thy task. 
Mending, sewing, knitting, mayhap, or with 
Thy needle doing fancy work — artist 
Thou wast by nature formed — or fashioning thy 
Boys' garments. 

VII 

The culinary art, so nearly lost 
To modern housewife, thou didst have in great 
Perfection. Plain and wholesome dishes to 
Prepare thou knew'st just how; and richest foods, 
These healthful, too. How many were the hours 
Thus spent by thee to please the taste and build 
The human frame strong and robust. 

VIII 

Thy love for flowers grew as passed the years. 
The morning-glory and the honey-suckle 
Climbed round the door, and lightly trellised o'er 
The window. Trim kept were the figured beds 
And shapes that formed a fragrant avenue. 
Sweet scent of rose, of pink, of violet. 
And many more, to sight as beautiful 
As grateful to the smell. Wild flowers were thy 
Delight, and mine likewise. 



IX 

Few books, but chosen well, were in that home, 
The Bible first, most used, its lessons taught 
With loving care to thy young charges two. 
Not idle were their minds but filled with thoughts 
And sayings wise that thou hadst gleaned and gavest 
To them, to make them strong for truth and right. 

X 

No fonder picture can I draw than this. 
Recalled in memory oft: Thou sitting with 
Thy long and silken hair unbound, while I 
Beside thee stood and drew a lazy comb 
Slow through those glossy strands, and listened to 
Thy wondrous tales ; the thrilling deeds performed 
By ancestors of thine and their compeers. 
And thou hadst had adventures of thine own. 
Which thou didst modestly relate and call 
But small affairs, to me most interesting. 
Then tales of knights, enchanted castles, and rhymes 
Galore, poured forth in lively flow unceasing. 
Thy ready wit invented many a tale 
More marvelous to me by far than all 
That books could give, or e'en thy memory, full 
Of facts, called forth. Thus hours were spent by thee 
In entertaining and instructing my 
Young mind: happy to me those hours so spent. 

XI 

A just and equal judge between us two, 
William, my junior, and myself, in our 
Disputes and little, jarring discords, thou 
Could'st soon compose them all, and harmony 
Restore. Thy own good nature mingled large 
In us made mutual love the rule and not 
The exception. 

XII 

The neighbors all knew well thy worth, thy deeds 
Of kindness, and thy love for them and theirs. 
Oft didst thou heal their ills with simple but 
Effective remedies; and to the poor 
Thou gavest what could be spared and oft-times more. 



Kill 

In social and religious life in that 
Community wherein we lived and were 
A part, thy genial temper and thy soft 
Command made thee a leader and a guide 
Welcomed by all. Oft didst thou entertain 
In our small comfortable home the ladies 
Of the neighborhood at teas whereat were feasts 
Of things delicious to the taste, where mirth 
Flowed free, and harmless, lightsome talk buzzed round 
The busy room; but graver themes engaged 
Also the attention of the fair on those 
Occasions, who gave decisions prompt 
And, to themselves at least, quite free from doubt 
And error. Well do I recall with glee 
The quilting-bees, the paring-bees, and the 
Sweet "sugarings-off," and other friendly gatherings 
That joined in unison both labor and play. 

XIV 

Long, lonely were the days, and weeks, and months. 
When father, marksman keen, shouldered his giui. 
And went in quest of larger game, or on 
A visit to some distant friends, to view 
Also the land and choose, perhaps, another 
More advantageous home, or, it might be. 
Explored the farther West and braved the wild 
Indian and savage beasts in native haunts. 
Again, when civil strife rent all the land. 
He, at his country's call, served freedom's cause. 
And left thee with thy boys and other cares. 
To do thy best. In all these trials thou 
Wast brave and patient and managed well. 



XV 

We passed a decade in those rural scenes; 
Then to a city's larger life removed, 
Where schools and churches and the better things 
That cultivate the mind, refine the heart. 
And give a larger scope to youthful aims. 
Were to be found. There, thou, the same good wife 



And mother fond, mid trials that o'ertook 

Us all, through loss of hard-earned gains acquired 

In former years, pursuedst thy even course. 

By all respected and by many loved. 



XVI 

Still later came a year's short residence 
In that city by the lake, a mart which nov7 
Grown second in the western world, is destined 
Yet to be the mightiest on the globe. 

H: H< Hi H: H: 4: 

XVII 

Then came another change that parted thee 
And me, and sent ye three to dwell in that 
Fair clime, the land of flowers, de Leon's land 
Where hides the fabled Fount of Youth, while I 
Remained behind. Not often since that parting 
Have we met in converse sweet. In thy late years 
Calamity has overtaken thee; 
For those mild orbs of thine, now sightless quite, 
No more can view the scenes all beauteous 
That round thee lie, no more can guide thy hand 
To write the thoughts that in thy mind do dwell; 
And thus the boon of such communion with 
Thee now is lost to me, a loss that I 
Most deeply feel. Through all this trial thou 
Hast been serene and uncomplaining still. 

XVIII 

For forty years and more thy home has been 
Among the fruits and flowers of Florida, 
In pretty Crescent City, which crowns a ridge 
That parts two lovely lakes — a little gem 
Between two other gems. There thou hast had 
Thy joys and sorrows, too, losses and gains. 
And labor hard, in the earlier days. 

XIX 

Thy talents and thy goodness there have shone 
Conspicuous, in civic work and in 



The Church, as well as in thy private life. 
There thou hast seen grow up, in worthy ways, 
Around thee grandchildren, thy pride, who cheer 
And solace thee. 

XX 

Him that for three score years and six walked by 
Thy side, in counsel wise, without reproach. 
Esteemed by all and honored for his virtues. 
But lately called imto a grander life, 
Reward for his high merits in this vale 
Of tears, most missed by thee, thou cherishest 
In memory's deepest recesses. Him in 
His blest abode thou hopest to rejoin 
When thy own pilgrimage on earth is done. 

XXI 

Upon thy younger son, companion to 
His parents in those years of good and ill, 
Spent in that southern land, upon him, who 
In filial love and duty is perfect. 
Thou now dost lean, as on a staff, and the 
Kind care that he and his bestow on thee 
Comforts thee in thy latest days. 

XXII 

Thus imperfectly, but most lovingly 
I've sung thy praises. This slight tribute, sill 
Unable as it is to do thee justice, 
Accept, O Mother dear, from me too weak 
In wit for task so great. It is the best 
I can. 

XXIII 

Live happy on, and when the final call 
Comes unto thee, go wafted, radiant, 
In etherial currents to those blissful realms 
Celestial prepared for those that here 
On earth have done the Master's will. 



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